My friends, especially my misguided moderate friends, I understand you have been deluded or confused by the Bush/Rove phony conservatism they mislabeled as “compassionate.” To help you regain your bearings, here’s something about real conservatives and conservatism you should know.
Real conservatives base their positions on the issues of the day based on CORE BELIEFS, not on popular opinion or push polls generated by the lib media. True conservatives know these core beliefs are what makes the country as a whole and its individual citizens the best it/they can be.
These principles include:
1. Limited government of the people, by the people and for the people that accomplishes the following:
a. Ensures domestic tranquility through the enactment and fair enforcement or sensible laws,
b. Provides for the common defense though the fielding of the best military on the planet,
c. Promotes the general welfare by fostering an entrepreneurial spirit and allowing the most number of citizens to benefit from their own hard work, and
d. Defends our God-given rights to (1) life from conception to natural death, (2) liberty by not curtailing freedoms beyond the framework of sensible laws, and (3) the pursuit of happiness by respecting our personal freedom and the desire to improve our lives.
2. Each person should be regarded as an individual and not as a member of a group… “Hyphenated Americans” must understand that, while we respect ethnicity and religious diversity, real conservatives care more about what comes after the hyphen–we still believe in the melting pot. We are ALL Americans.
3. All people should be given equal opportunity in order to rise as far as their personal efforts and god-given abilities take them. Since all people do not have the same abilities or potential, equal outcome is impossible to attain, and trying to do so is self-defeating and drags down society to a lowest common denominator.
4. Real conservatives are always eager to help those who ‘can’t’ do for themselves, but we think those who ‘can but won’t’ need to stand on their own feet. Helping people be self-sufficient–and sometimes forcing them to–is the very epitome of ‘compassion.’ Making them dependent is not compassionate.
5. People make decisions, and it is their responsibility to accept the consequences of those decisions. Conversely, it isn’t the place of society at large to shield them from the responsibility of their (in)actions.
6. The right of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms is essential to preventing tyranny. Those who abuse this right should be severely punished.
7. The right of free political speech–with reasonable exemptions (such as incitement to violence)–is also essential to preventing tyranny.
8. Freedom is granted us by God; freedom can’t be granted by government, it can only be taken away by government.
So there you have it. The GOP has lost its way because it has been following moderates who by definition have no core values. No wonder they think we can win elections by just changing positions on certain topics such as abortion– they don’t understand WHY we take those positions in the first place and why they aren’t changeable.
Finally, for those of you worried about attracting members of certain ‘groups’ to our cause, understand this: we want what’s best for EVERYONE in this country. We’ll attract them by sticking to these core principles and making sure they apply to everyone. Trust me, that’s when the GOP will truly become a ‘big tent’ party!
Tom S. in Hawaii
